Love Your Garden Episode 3: Romantic getaway

This garden was to be transformed for the lovely Jason and Fran. Jason had a life limiting illness and he and his family wanted somewhere they could escape to and spend quality time with friends and family. Fran and Jason also got married earlier in the year so Alan wanted a garden full of romance – ahhhh, he’s a big softy you know!

This was a tough garden to build due to it raining non-stop the whole time we were there! It may have dampened our spirits at times but we all knew that this garden would change the lives of Jason and his family. So, in true Love Your Garden style we dug deep and cracked on! See below a list of the plants used.

Foxgloves are great at giving height and planting them in groups will always give impact. We used a perennial variety in this garden meaning they will come back every year unlike most of them which are biennial and die off after they have flowered.

Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’ is a dark leaved form of cow parsley. Its delicate form and pretty white clusters of tiny flowers give it a romantically wild look.

Hydrangeas are a cottage garden staple; their big blooms are loved by many. However, they can grow big so place somewhere they have the room to reach their full potential.

Clematis look fab planted just about anywhere, but do your research as the flowers can vary hugely, from dainty hanging bonnets to flowers the size of a dinner plate! Pick one that works for the space you want it to grow in.

Astrantia are great plants that flower over a long period of time if you deadhead them throughout the summer. They prefer damp but free draining soil and come in all different shades of pinks, plums and whites.

Festuca Glauca this ornamental blue tinged grass is extremely low maintenance, it prefers well drained soil and the colour of its foliage worked really well with our planting scheme.

Roses – I love a scented rose whether it be climbing, rambling, shrub or hybrid tea. Pick one or three that you love the most! See my guide to pruning here.

White birch is often used in many contemporary garden design schemes, we picked up on the white stems of the ones we used with the rest of the planting – carrying the romantic theme through the garden.

Ferns are great for growing in shady areas and provide excellent ground cover. Some prefer a damper spot than others so be sure to read the label before you part with your cash and choose one that’s suited to the conditions of where you want to plant it.

Dicentra – this lovely little plant likes the shade and will give you pretty flowers early in the year. It will also tolerate a container and needs very little maintenance.

Lazula nivea is a great little evergreen grass which has little white flowers in early Summer. It will tolerate lots of shade and is super low maintenance.

Syinga (Lilac) have sweet smelling panicles of flowers in late spring. They are tolerant of a wide range of conditions and don’t mind being pruned back hard should they become unruly. However, beware that once you cut them back it will encourage suckers to grow from the base of the plant and these can be difficult to keep on top of.

Styrax japonicas – stole my heart in this garden, I just love them! Graceful form with delicate nodding flowers and glossy leaves that go a lovely colour in autumn. A delightful specimen shrub or small tree. Buy one!

Azalea are often compact little shrubs with flowers that certainly pack a punch when they are in full bloom! They need acidic soil conditions to thrive so be sure to check your soil PH before you purchase.

Tiarella is another little plant that will tolerate partial shade and dryer conditions – they look particularly effective planted in groups as the foliage on mass is very attractive and gives
good ground cover.